Loved up and cashed up: couples hide relationships for more welfare payments

More than 2000 South Australians have rorted the welfare system by pretending to be single, in order to claim higher payments.

More than 2000 South Australians have rorted the welfare system by pretending to be single, in order to claim higher payments.

They were all caught committing welfare fraud in the past year and owe a collective $3.4 million, after failing to declare they were in relationships.

A Department of Human Services spokeswoman said the overpayments would now have to be repaid to the Federal Government.

“The average debt owed is nearly $1700 per person,” the spokeswoman said.

Human Services Minister Michael Keenan said across the country, more than 70 people a day were being caught rorting the welfare system.

He said falsely claiming to be single in order to qualify for higher Centrelink payments had resulted in more than $61 million in overpayments nationally that now had to be repaid to the Commonwealth.

Although some cases were found to be genuine mistakes or oversights, many were deliberate acts of fraud that were detected by members of the department’s specialist fraud and compliance teams.

“Stealing from the welfare system is not a victimless crime,” Mr Keenan said.

“You are stealing directly from pockets of Australian taxpayers and robbing the wider community of much needed funds that could be spent on other essential services such as roads, schools and hospitals.”

Welfare recipients are also accruing overpayment debts by failing to declare their income properly.

Welfare cheats are not only made to pay back the money.

They can also be prosecuted, resulting in a criminal record and even jail time. Reports of suspected fraud can be made online or via the tip-off line on 131 524.

Originally published as Loved up and cashed up: couples hide relationships for more welfare payments